Give Unto Me
by TheRealRenee
Summary: // Chapter 11 now up \\ Lita and Victoria are forced into joining Evolution against their will. Lita/Edge, Victoria/Randy, Trish/Jericho, Bischoff, Triple H, Flair, Batista, others
1. Default Chapter

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"You have _got_ to be _kidding_ me!" the young woman exclaimed, a look of vast displeasure marring her pretty features. She stood with her hands on her hips as she stared in disbelief at the man standing before her. What RAW co-General Manager Eric Bischoff was proposing - no, _demanding_ - was pure nonsense. 

"Well, guess what, Lita?" the man said, his beady eyes narrowing as he pointed a rude finger at her. "I'm _not_ kidding! I'm not _asking_ you to do this, I'm _telling_ you!" 

Lita cocked her head to one side as she glared at Bischoff. 

"And what _purpose_ is there to my joining up with Evolution?? Not to mention, having to team up with this _psycho_ bitch?!" she cried, pointing at the other diva present and standing a few feet away. 

Victoria instantly tensed, her dark eyes widening as she stared at Lita for having the guts to say a word about her. She grabbed a handful of her own hair as she tried to refrain from jumping the redhead. 

"Well, don't worry about it - _I_ don't want to have to team up with _you_, either!" the raven-haired woman spat. "My partner - my _only_ partner-" she snapped, shifting her gaze to Bischoff, "-is Stevie..." 

"Not anymore, _Vicki_," the GM insisted, now pointing at _her_ as he put a nasty emphasis on the nickname with which he'd dubbed her. "As of this moment, your partnership with '_Stevie_' has been terminated...And that's all there is to it. You ladies will be working with Evolution - pronto..." 

Lita merely stared at the man, her temples throbbing with the extent of anger she felt. She couldn't stand Bischoff, Victoria, or any one of the guys in Evolution. Maybe she could talk to the other co-General Manager, Stone Cold Steve Austin, to get herself out of this unpleasant predicament. Then again, it was a known fact that the co-GMs customarily made their own deals and the other was usually powerless to reverse the decision. That was just the way business went. 

"You haven't heard the last of this," the redhead muttered, and after one last evil eye cast the GM's way, she turned and stormed out of the office. 

Victoria stood there and stared silently at the man for a beat. 

"You're excused...Now get out of my office!" Bischoff barked, pointing toward the door. 

The raven-haired diva glared daggers into the co-General Manager for a few seconds before turning and stomping out, just as the other diva had done a moment earlier. 

Victoria had walked a mere six or seven steps before she realized Lita was just ahead of her. In a hurry, she ran up behind the redhead, startling her by grabbing her by the arm and whipping her around to face her. 

Although taken by surprise, Lita reacted instantly, bringing her arm back, fist poised to strike, her hazel eyes narrowed as they fixed on the other woman. 

"Relax, _Red_..." Victoria spoke. "I'm not going to start anything with you..." 

The redhead's eyes widened, an expectant look on her face. 

"I just think that, since we have no choice, we should call a truce..." She put her hand out for a handshake. 

Lita arched a brow in surprise as she stared down at the proffered hand, her guard not completely down. Still, Victoria was right - they had no choice and were apparently going to be stuck together - and with Evolution... 

Reluctantly, resignedly, she put her hand into the other diva's, and the two shook...   
  
  


Part 2 

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	2. Chapter 2

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Lita drummed her fingers on the table-top absent-mindedly, her head turned away from her late dinner company. 

"Lita...hey!" Trish Stratus waved a hand before her best friend and fellow WWE diva's face. 

The redhead turned back to face the blonde from Toronto. 

"Huh? Oh, I'm sorry, Trish..." she said, then wearily ran both hands over her face. "I'm just a little distracted..." 

"Humph...I don't blame you," Trish said, an almost-pout on her pretty face. "_I_ would be, too, if that idiot Bischoff put _me_ with Evolution and that psychotic bitch Victoria!" 

Lita sighed. 

"Victoria and I sort of called a truce..." she admitted. 

"Come again?" 

"We called a truce..." the high-flyer repeated. "We shook on it, because neither one of us wants to have to work with Evolution...Ric Flair is a legend, and I respect him tremendously - but I can't _stand_ Triple H or his little shadow, Randy Orton..." She shook her head in disgust and disapproval. 

"I don't believe it! You are _actually_ going to be friends with the woman that has tried to take me out of commission repeatedly?" 

"Trish, I don't have a choice..." the redhead stated. "She knew neither of us had a choice in the matter, so she decided to be the bigger person, and-" 

"Why can't you go to Austin and demand he overturn Bischoff's decision?" the blonde diva asked, interrupting. 

"I thought about doing that, and I still think about it..." Lita replied. "But Bischoff insists that there's nothing Stone Cold can do - that they make decisions independently of one another..." 

"Do you really think he'd just come out and tell you otherwise?" Trish asked rhetorically, her head cocked to one side. "Come on, Lita...Don't be gullible..." 

The redhead cast her eyes down, mulling over everything her friend had just spoken. Then, as the Canadian continued, she looked up to meet her eyes. 

"For all _you_ know, it could all very well be a setup - Victoria could already be working with Evolution, and Bischoff and them could be planning a sneak attack when you least expect it or something..." 

The redhead ran a hand through her hair as she sighed again. She knew Trish could be right. The guys in Evolution and Victoria had certainly never been what she would call 'friends.' She'd just returned after a 16-month absence after breaking her neck on the set of the the former TV show Dark Angel. There were easily some people in the WWE that would no doubt rather she'd never returned. Victoria, a diva who would rival her for Molly Holly's Women's championship, could certainly be one of those people. 

Lita decided right then and there that she _would_ speak to Stone Cold Steve Austin... And she would definitely keep her guard up as well...   
  
  


Part 3 

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	3. Chapter 3

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Lita had definite plans for the evening's RAW house show. As she'd discussed with Trish not long ago, she was going to try and appeal to Stone Cold Steve Austin. One ace in her favor was that the Rattlesnake certainly didn't see eye-to-eye with Bischoff. 

She became distracted at the sudden ringing of her cell phone. To her pleasant surprise, the caller ID showed that the person trying to reach her was someone she hadn't seen in awhile but with whom she'd had regular contact. 

"Hi, Edge!" she sang happily into the cellular device, a smile coming to her face despite her current situation. 

"Hey, Lita," the blond man replied from the other end. "Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner - I had a lot of appointments last week and things were hectic." 

"Don't be silly," she said. "We spoke two days ago...It's not like I was just sitting around, waiting for the phone to ring!" 

"I know you're not the type of girl to do that, Red...But anyway, you sounded sort of funny in the message you left me yesterday. What's going on?" 

Lita sighed and ran her free hand through her long red hair. 

"Oh, that...Bischoff is forcing me to join Evolution." 

"What? In hell's name, _why_?" Edge asked incredulously. Evolution didn't exactly seem to be the type of guys who would welcome a woman into their fold - not even one as tough as nails as the redhead. 

"Who knows? And it's not only me he's ordering to do this, but Victoria, too." 

"Victoria the psycho? Hell no!" the blond man shouted. He definitely didn't like the idea of the raven-haired diva being anywhere near Lita. Even if the two of them were forced into being 'allies,' no one could force a friendship between the two. 

"None other..." the redhead said with resignation. "I was actually just about to go speak to Stone Cold about this. Hopefully he can get me out of this mess." 

"I hope so, too. Listen, Li - I'd better let you go take care of that now." And I'll see you next week." 

"Next week?" 

"Yeah," Edge said, unable to keep a smile from coming to his handsome face. "Stephanie agreed to make a trade deal with Steve so I can come to RAW - effective next Monday." 

"Really?!" the redhead asked, excitement coursing through her. She was so pleasantly surprised by the news that she stood up from the chair upon which she'd been sitting. 

"Yes, really..." Edge said. He could pretty much hear the lovely smile in her voice. He too was grinning by now at the anticipation of finally coming to work with the RAW roster, but more importantly, getting to see Lita all the time again. It had been far too long since he'd gotten to do that. 

"That's awesome, Edge!" the diva exclaimed. "We'll have to celebrate next week." 

"Definitely...All right, Red. I'll let you go take care of your business now. Hope Steve can clear up all the madness for you." 

"Thanks. Goodnight, Edge..." 

"Goodnight, Lita..." 

Once she hung up and placed her cell phone in her bag, the redhead was off to find Stone Cold Steve Austin. Although she'd been so thrilled at hearing Edge's news, she couldn't help feeling nervous about speaking to the Rattlesnake. What if he couldn't do anything to overturn Eric Bischoff's decision, as she feared? Damn it, she had _no_ reason to be involved with any one of the individuals this angle would force her to hang around. It would be just as bad to her as it had been the The Kat to join Right To Censor two years earlier. And, just like _that_ storyline, it made no sense. 

"Steve?" Lita stuck her head in the doorway tentatively, rapping lightly with her knuckles. 

"Lita...Come on in, girl," the beer-guzzling man said as he looked up at her. "What can I do for you?" 

The redheaded diva entered the room, her hands clasped before her. 

"I wanted to talk to you...By any chance, do you know what Bischoff has in store for me?" 

"Ah...you mean the Evolution thing?" 

"Right...Steve, _please_ don't let him make me join with them!" 

Stone Cold shook his head helplessly. 

"I'm real sorry, Lita, but it's outta my hands." 

The diva looked at him, crestfallen. She'd had a bad feeling that he was going to say something like that... And damn it, if there was nothing Austin could do, there was sure as hell nothing _she_ could do, either.   
  
  


Part 4 

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	4. Chapter 4

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With much resignation, Lita briskly made her way down the arena hallway and to the women's locker room. 

She sighed and ran a hand through her long red hair, sadness consuming her. She'd been really angry at first, but now she was just upset and sorrow-filled. 

As she entered the room, Trish looked up to see her, and the two locked eyes. The little blonde's brown orbs looked questioning, and, bleakly, Lita shook her head. 

Trish approached her, a disappointed expression on her face. 

"Austin said no?" she asked in a soft voice. 

The redhead shook her head. 

"Not exactly... There's just nothing he can do. Bischoff's decision is Bischoff's decision - and I guess it's _final_." She shrugged helplessly. Her gaze traveled to halfway across the room, when Victoria was standing before a locker, the dark-haired woman's eyes trained on her. She appeared to be trying to overhear their conversation. Then, as though confirming the redhead's suspicions, the other diva headed over to them. 

The little blonde's guard was up in an instant. 

"What do _you_ want? We weren't talking to you!" 

The raven-haired diva frowned, yet at the same time, she couldn't blame Trish Stratus for her hostility. Lord knew, she'd never been nice to the blonde woman. 

"Chill!" Lita cried, eyeing her best friend, a hand raised as though to placate the Canadian. She turned to face Victoria, a serious but not unpleasant look coming to her face. "Hi." 

"Hey... I was just-" She didn't want to use the words 'overhearing' or 'eavesdropping.' "-standing over there, and I heard you mention Austin...?" 

"That was _me_," Trish snapped. 

The redhead shot the petite woman a warning look. 

"Okay... Well... Even so, I just wanted to tell you, Lita," the dark-haired woman said, pointedly ignoring the blonde, "I spoke to him, too." When Lita arched an eyebrow in surprise, Victoria continued. "I tried to appeal to him to get out of this Evolution thing." She made a face, not hiding the disgust she felt toward the four men who comprised that group. "And I actually spoke to him on _both_ our behalves." 

This time, it was Trish whose face registered surprise. 

"You really did that?" 

Victoria nodded. 

"I figured neither one of us wants any part of that storyline, and we _had_ called a truce... But it's a no-go," she concluded, shaking her head in despair. 

"I know," Lita said, her face growing sad again as well. "Steve and Bischoff have been making decisions independently of each other ever since Linda said the Board of Directors decided on that." 

"Well," the raven-haired diva said, "you know what _that_ means, don't you?" 

The redhead cocked her head to one side, eyeing her questioningly, but didn't speak. 

"It means we're stuck - and we're in this _together_..." 

* 

"Wow, isn't that great news?" Randy Orton asked practically the moment after co-General Manager Eric Bischoff departed Evolution's locker room. 

"I don't see anything _good_ about it, kid..." Triple H said. 

"Oh, come on, Hunter - two hot chicks joining Evolution? I think I'm gonna get a lot of _pleasure_ out of this idea." Orton's handsome yet smug face broke into a smirk-grin. He couldn't help it when he envisioned the fun he could have with Lita and Victoria - the two divas would never be able to resist him. After all, what woman _could_? 

This time, The Game laughed. 

"I figured you'd say something along those lines. Fine - have your fun with the two broads." His smile disappeared, only to be replaced by a scowl. "I don't trust them - especially the redhead. And I don't like the idea of woman becoming a part of Evolution." 

"Listen to me, Hunter..." This time, Ric Flair spoke. The older man rose and came to stand before the leader of the faction. "We'll just go along with Bischoff's wishes for now and see how it goes. Besides, Victoria might be good for us - she's devious, like _us_." 

"Good point... But if I don't like 'em, I'm not going to hold back in letting them _know_ that," Triple H snapped. 

Randy smirked, though he knew the other man meant what he said. He just wondered what fun he could get out of the divas... Well, he'd find out soon enough.   
  
  


Part 5 

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	5. Chapter 5

**_A/N: I know this is a VERY long time coming since this story has seen an update. Well, I have gotten back into the swing of things with this one, and I hope people will once again enjoy reading it. Thanks to Shinna, Cailin, Danielle, Yuri - san, VedGirl1201, Spottedstripe, paris, some one, LiveLife2007 and Sweet-Regards for all the reviews so far! Hope you will all somehow pick up where this left off and read the new chapters! :)_**

Lita wrung her hands nervously as she waited. Since she and Victoria had called a truce, they'd exchanged cell phone numbers and talked about a strategy. They would have to prepare themselves for dealing with the men of Evolution. And at the moment, as far as she could tell, Lita knew it wouldn't be an easy task.

At long last, she saw the dark-haired diva approaching. They were meeting up out here in the arena hallway to go together to their new faction's locker room. A stagehand had alerted Lita that Triple H had demanded their presence.

"Well, here I am," Victoria said as she sidled up to her. Her facial expression was one of strange neutrality, while she, on the other hand, couldn't hide how she truly felt. This was going to be hell.

Lita sighed and spoke in hushed tones to her.

"This honestly feels like a nightmare," she said. "It feels like I'm dreaming, and that I'll wake up to realize this isn't really happening."

The other woman eyed her with sympathy and understanding in turn. She didn't say anything more as they finally reached the door that had the gold "Evolution" plaque tacked up on it.

The two divas exchanged defeated glances, and the raven-haired woman did the honors and raised a hand to knock. She held her breath as they waited, and a moment later, the door was opened.

"Well, look at what we have here!" an amused-looking Ric Flair nearly sang as he stood in the doorway. He eyed each woman appreciatively and held the door wider for them to enter. "Aren't you two a sight for sore eyes! Whoo! Much nicer to look at than these guys."

Lita held her tongue and felt creeped out by the older man's words. The last thing she needed was a guy old enough to be her father hitting on her. Though she thought that might actually be somewhat favorable compared to being hit on by Triple H. That man completely repulsed her.

Victoria crossed her arms over her breasts as Batista was the next Evolution member to approach them. The Animal was basically just _that_ as he actually _sniffed_ her, then moved on to Lita, who was standing beside her. In fact, the redhead whirled around, the expression on her face displaying the answer she was feeling. And instead of getting offended by the gesture, the big man merely smiled and let his eyes leer up and down over her.

"Ladies..." They glanced over to the source of the voice to see Triple H, with Randy Orton just behind him. The Game clapped his hands together and went on. "... So good of you to join us. I take it Ric and Dave have been entertaining you?" He glanced meaningfully at the other two men.

Lita wrinkled her nose in disgust and instantly issued a reply.

"Not in the least."

For some reason, that remark caused Flair to burst into a fit of laughter. Batista, on the other hand, didn't look too pleased as he suddenly donned a sourpuss. Orton gave a smirk, seeming amused. Finally, Triple H did the same but chased that with a short laugh.

"Well, isn't that a shame?" he said, waving it off with his left hand. "But enough of that - we've got some plans for you two. We'll go over them right now... Shall we?"

The redhead exchanged glances with Victoria again, noting that this time, the bigger woman didn't appear happy. The Game put an arm around her as well, steering the diva over to the couch on the other side of the room. Victoria seemed to shudder a bit at the burly man's contact, her eyes trailing to his arm and hand that had touched her. She was relieved when they sat down and it was broken.

"You," the Evolution leader began," eyeing the raven-haired woman meaningfully, "are going to bring the Women's Championship into our little group."

This time, Victoria's eyebrows rose, the gesture not at all lost on Lita. If she didn't know any better, she believed the black-haired diva liked that idea. And why wouldn't she? If she were to get a title shot against Molly Holly and actually _win_, then she would be the new Women's Champion. She pursed her lips together, wondering for a moment why The Game hadn't considered _her_ for this role. On the other hand, the redhead would much prefer getting a chance to win the gold all on her own - not because Evolution threw their weight around and kissed Eric Bischoff's ass.

"And as for you," Triple H continued, his finger pointing at the redhead as she sat with impatience, "we've got other plans for you."

Crossing her arms in a defensive manner, Lita had to fight against her natural instinct of rolling her eyes.

"I gathered that," she said dryly.

"Yeah... You're gonna team up with me in a mixed tag match - tonight."

The redhead frowned. Oh, this was just great... Being forced to join Evolution was bad enough, but she had to team up in a match with this loathsome creature as well? She glared at the World Champion, waiting for him to continue.

"We're gonna face Chris Jericho and that little slut Trish Stratus."

The high-flyer nearly did a double-taker. Had she heard him right? No... It _couldn't_ be. She couldn't face Trish in such a match - not when they had finally buried the hatchet once and for all several months earlier and were finally friends!

"What?" she stammered.

Triple H smirked, enjoying seeing the redhead squirm. He knew she wouldn't be happy at his little bit of news.

"You," he said slowly, as though she were an idiot, and he pointed as well. "Me... Facing Jericho and Trish in a mixed tag - _tonight_." He noticed the woman's mouth opening to speak but didn't give her a chance. "And I suggest you get yourself ready right now, sweetheart - our match is in less than twenty minutes."

Lita gaped at him, swallowing hard. Her gaze went to Victoria, who merely shrugged but looked confused and maybe even sorry for her as well.

Without another word, the redhead rose, furious, and left the room.


	6. Chapter 6

**_A/N: Thanks to XtreMePeroXwhygeN, Inday and LizzyL for reviewing the last chapter. I'm so glad this story still has some loyal readers. I promise I'll be updating it more and more as time goes on. :) I have a few more new chapters on paper waiting to be added. Hope this new one is to your liking!_**

Lita glanced furtively around, her breath held as she stood up. As the male members of Evolution who were present in the room had their backs turned, she managed to make it to the door and slipped out, unnoticed.

Once out in the arena hallway, she let out a breath of relief and ran as fast as she could. It was about time! She had made a few attempts to leave earlier, but each time, either Flair or Batista or Triple H himself would prevent her from doing so.

The frustrated diva felt her heart racing as she kept moving quickly. She was so focused on getting to the women's locker room that she didn't see the person whom had suddenly entered her direct path and collided with him.

"Oops, sor-" She cut herself off, her heart sinking all the way down to her toes as she realized who was standing before her.

"Hey, it's no problem, Red," the self-proclaimed Legend Killer said as he offered her a winning smile. "Heading to the divas' locker room, are you?" He arched an eyebrow at her as he studied her nervous-looking face.

Lita was nearly at a loss as she searched for the words to give him. She stuttered as she tried to appeal to him.

"Look, Randy, I... I would appreciate it if you didn't tell the other guys you ran into me out here."

Orton shrugged indifferently.

"Why would I? I don't care if you go and visit your little friend Trish Stratus."

The redhead's mouth went dry as she realized just how transparent she apparently was... or was it just that the young man was perceptive? She wasn't sure which was the answer, but it didn't matter at the moment. She hoped he meant what he'd just said.

"So, you _won't_ tell them?" she asked.

He shrugged again.

"You know, Red... No offense, but-" He laughed. "-I really _do_ have better things to do with my time than tattle on you."

Lita felt like dancing, as he really did seem sincere. One thing she definitely knew was that Randy Orton was very self-absorbed - so he probably meant what he said. She felt like thanking him, but her voice was momentarily lost again, and she nodded instead before continuing on her way.

Lita didn't bother turning back to check whether the Legend Killer was still watching her as she reached the women's locker room. She grabbed the knob in a haste and quickly pushed her way inside. She was met by a plethora of stares by the divas, most likely due to the fact that they knew she was now a member of Evolution, albeit a reluctant one. She ignored all but one as she spotted Trish near one corner and made a beeline for her.

"Lita..."

"Hi, Trish," she said, sad that she knew what was going to happen later that night.

The little blonde placed a hand on her friend's arm.

"Judging by the look on your face, I take it you're not getting along with your new faction."

"Eww... I can't stand them. Ric needs to learn to act his age, the way Batista looks at me makes me want another shower, and Hunter is just... ugh, Hunter." She made a face to display all of her disgust. "Well, actually, Orton's not so bad."

"Really?" Trish asked with surprise.

The redhead recalled the very recent run-in she'd had with the Legend Killer out in the hall.

"Yeah," she said. "He's actually pretty okay. But enough of him. I have something to tell you, Trish, and it's not good news."

"Uh oh." The blonde's expression darkened. "Then you'd better tell me. What is it?"

Lita bit her lip, her gaze falling to the floor as she began to explain.

"You know you're scheduled for a match later, right?"

"Sure," the Canadian diva nodded. "Chris and I have a mixed tag match. We haven't been told who our opponents are."

The redhead lifted her gaze so that it met her dear friend's chocolate-brown eyes. Then, slowly, she elaborated.

"You two will be facing... Triple H and me."

Trish stared at her with shock.

"What?"

Lita nodded, running a hand through her rich red locks. With despair, she sighed and said, "Yeah. Hunter just told me. Victoria's the lucky one - she's being put into a program with Molly for the title." She managed to keep her voice at a whisper so as to not alert the brunette Women's Champion just across the room. She shook her head. "I... I don't want to fight you, Trish. You're my friend. You _and_ Chris."

The little blonde's face softened, and she grabbed hold of the other diva's hand.

"I know," she said evenly, "and it really sucks that you were forced into Evolution. But we'll come up with something to get you out of there." She knew there had to be a way... The only question was _how_? "We'll plan something, okay?"

Lita met her eyes and somehow suddenly filled with a small spark of hope. She nodded.

"Okay." She hugged Trish and whispered as they parted a moment later. "And don't worry - I don't plan on fighting you. And if Hunter is in there with you, I'll make sure he doesn't get to do anything."

The blonde nodded.

She didn't know how she was going to do that, but Lita was determined not to let her friend get hurt... Even if she had to face the wrath of her new faction's leader.


	7. Chapter 7

**_A/N: Thanks to XtreMePeroXwhygeN, Girl on Fire and LizzyL for reviewing the last chapter. You guys rock! ;) Things are definitely going to be shaken up a bit in these next couple of chapters, what with the mixed tag match. But what do Lita, Trish and Jericho have up their sleeves? Read on to find out! :)_**

"Isn't this _great_ news?"

Lita snapped her head up as Victoria came back into the Evolution locker room. Batista and Ric Flair ignored her for the moment upon sensing girltalk was about to happen. Triple H and Randy had stepped out.

The redhead stared blankly at the other diva. What in the world could possibly be great right now? She shrugged and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I have to team up with a man I despise and go against my best friend and her boyfriend tonight," she reminded her. "What the hell is 'great' about that?"

"No, no... I was talking about _me_!" Victoria's brown eyes lit up as she continued. "I getting a shot at the Women's Championship!" Her face took on a faraway look that made Lita roll her eyes. She faced the other diva again and said, "And I'm gonna win it, too. Mark my words."

"Well, that's great for you. If it's all the same, I'd trade places with you in a heartbeat, and it's not because of the title."

The raven-haired woman smirked at her.

"Sure... Like hell it's not. Look, I know you don't want to fight your little friend Trish. But there's really not much you can do about it, is there?"

Lita rolled her eyes as she turned her head so that only her profile was visible to her counterpart.

"I guess not," she muttered. She scowled as she recalled how rude and bossy Triple H had been in telling her about the match.

Victoria patted her on the shoulder.

"Hey... Hang in there!" she said with a smile. "If all goes well, I'll let you have a shot against me for the gold."

Lita looked her up and down with surprise. It was one thing for the diva to smile at her, but another for her to actually offer her something nicely, especially a shot at the Women's title if she were to win it.

"Thanks," she replied without much enthusiasm. As it was, she was unable to focus on much of anything at the moment - aside from the upcoming mixed tag match. How was she going to get out of being tagged? She was relieved she had spoken to Trish earlier, as she knew the blonde would warn Jericho. If he never tagged the blonde diva into the match, there would be no reason for Hunter to tag her, either. She didn't mind that idea - but would it pan out the way she hoped? She closed her eyes, shaking her head in frustration.

She wanted to call Edge, and in the worst way. He always knew just what to say to lift her spirits when she felt as though the world hated her. She wondered where he was and remembered that the last time they'd spoken, he'd reminded her that he was coming to RAW. Maybe he was already here at the arena but laying low now that she was a member of Evolution?

Leaving Victoria to revel in her possible Women's Championship reign, Lita picked herself up and went stealthily to her nearby bag. Glancing over at the two men in the room, she saw that neither were paying her any heed. That was just fine to her, and she pulled her cell phone out and flipped it open. She typed a quick text message for Edge, then chose his number and sent it. She did it in just enough time, too, as the door suddenly opened. Trying not to flinch, the redhead dropped the phone back into her bag.

"All ready for our little match, toots?" Triple H was grinning at her like an idiot, the World Championship belt hoisted on his shoulder. Beyond him, Randy Orton had returned as well. She glared at him, wanting nothing more than to grab the belt and smash him over the head with it. Simply put, the man was an ass. 'Toots' was not a name she appreciated being called, especially by someone she loathed. She wondered how long she would have to endure this.

Lita didn't give the Game the satisfaction of an answer. Instead, she kept her glare icy as she approached him. Judging by the way he gestured to her, she had to assume that their match was next. The mere thought made her stomach go in knots.

"Come on, let's go."

Glancing once more over her shoulder at Victoria, the redhead squared her shoulders. She held her breath, hoping the next few minutes would be quick and painless - well, at least for everyone _but_ Triple H. He was the one who deserved a world of pain.

The redhead rolled her eyes as they stepped past the curtain and out to the entry ramp. Predictably, instead of "Evolution," "Time to Play the Game" blared through the speakers. But of course... She should have expected that, what with Triple H's well over-exaggerated self-importance. He truly believed the world revolved around him and him alone.

Through the black light the leader of Evolution favored so much, she could see Trish and Chris. They were already in the ring, waiting. She bit her lip nervously as she noticed Jericho duck his head closer to the blonde and say something to her. What was going through Y2J's mind during all of this?

Lita was full of dread as she entered the ring. Her tag team partner was on the apron at the other side, showboating as he always did with the water bottle he carried out to the ring. However, before Triple H could spit water out and make his usual to-do, Chris Jericho ran up behind him and delivered a big forearm smash to the Game's back.

The redhead's eyes widened in delight as the arrogant bastard went sailing to the arena floor. She exchanged glances with Trish across the ring. The little blonde smiled and held a thumb up. Maybe things wouldn't be quite so terrible in the match after all.


	8. Chapter 8

**_A/N: Thanks to Girl on Fire and LizzyL for reviewing the last chapter. :) In this installment, the rest of the match takes place, and it should be interesting, to say the least. But what will happen afterward? You'll find out soon enough. ;)_**

Lita groaned as Triple H regained the upper hand in the match. Jericho had done a number on him on the outside, throwing him into the steel ring steps and bashing him face-first into the barrier, all before the ten-count.

Y2J's advantage had continued back in the ring. The wisecracking blond man had delivered chops, turnbuckle shots, an enziguiri and a missle dropkick to The Game. However, when the Evolution leader had deliberately bumped into Trish and knocked her off the apron, the referee's back had been turned as he went to check on her... And _that_ was when he delivered the low blow.

Lita was furious. She wanted in the worst way to run into the ring and help her opponents in any way possible. She didn't care about getting disqualified because she didn't care about this ridiculous match. But if she did anything, she would have to deal with Triple H and his wrath later on. She knew how annoying his rants were just from watching them on a TV monitor in the back. But it was even worse when _you_ were on the receiving end of one of them. The man could just about bore a person to sleep with his endless tirades.

Well, one thing was certain... The redhead knew she had to do _something_. She couldn't allow her friend to be beaten anymore... And that was exactly what was happening. Rather than his usual high knee smash, facebuster, spinebuster and eventual pedigree, the leader of Evolution wasn't doing anything but punching and delivering chops to Jericho.

As soon as that thought entered her mind, Lita gasped in shock at what he did next. Shoving Y2J into his corner, he grabbed Trish's hand and slapped it against her boyfriend's shoulder in a blind tag. Much to her chagrin and shock, referee Earl Hebner was counting it and ordering the little blonde to get into the ring, and for Jericho to leave.

Trish didn't cower back, but she continued to just stand there, looking terrified. Triple H backed away from her, laughing as he mocked her with a 'come here' gesture. Without even realizing it, the big bullying gorilla continued to ever-so-slowly back up, just close enough to his corner.

Lita reached far out as she stood on the bottom rope, smacking The Game on the back of the shoulder for a blind tag. His facial expression was quite displeased as he turned around to face her fully, and he shook his head as she ignored him and stepped into the ring.

Hebner rushed over and got in the pushy man's face, counting as he merely stood there. Triple H finally came back to reality, putting up his hands in surrender as he went out and into his corner. As he stood there, he gave Lita a dirty look, thinking that she had better not do anything stupid.

The redhead and the Canadian diva circled around the ring for a moment, gazes locked. They seemed to be reading one another's minds. Trish quickly cast a look over her shoulder at Jericho, who winked and offered her an 'okay' sign. There hadn't been time prior to the match to go over all of this with Lita. So, the blonde could only hope she would quickly catch on.

They locked up, and Lita murmured to the blonde, keeping her voice low enough so that her tag partner couldn't hear.

"Let's just go through the motions for two minutes... Then, hit me with the Stratusfaction."

Trish suddenly caught the redhead in a headlock.

"We've got it covered," the Canadian diva whispered through her long hair.

As Lita continued to 'struggle,' in the headlock, she 'attempted' to take the other woman down... But Trish still had the maneuver firmly in place as they flipped over onto the canvas. The reluctant redheaded member of Evolution heard Triple H shouting to her from the corner.

"C'mon, get up! Get out of it!"

She tried to ignore his ever-annoying voice, drown it out.

Lita powered out of the hold, sending Trish into the turnbuckles, then took her down with a hurricanrana. The blonde got back up in a flash, staggering around as her opponent grabbed her again.

Lita shouted, signaling for the Twist of Fate as she had the blonde diva in position. But before she could execute the move, Trish acted quickly, reversing it into what seemed at first glance to be another headlock. It swiftly became the Stratusfaction bulldog as she ran, bouncing off the ropes to plant the redhead face-first.

As her friend pinned her, Lita feared that Triple H would run in to break it up, but it never happened. As she sat up after the three-count, she realized that Chris Jericho had run over to the opposite corner and tripped The Game off the apron. He'd kept him on the arena floor with a few punches, and it had been sheer luck the referee hadn't noticed.

Lita watched as Trish and Jericho celebrated in the corner with a hug and kiss. The two exchanged glances with her before leaving the ring. It was then that she noticed Triple H, holding his jaw, glaring at her from just outside the ring. She swallowed hard, not caring what he thought but dreading whatever punishment he might dream up for her.


	9. Chapter 9

**_A/N: Thanks to JeffHardy724, Girl on Fire and LizzyL for the last few reviews. You guys are awesome! :)_**

Edge chuckled softly to himself as he watched the end of the match on the TV monitor in his locker room. What a good ending they'd concocted. And that worthless Triple H had gotten exactly what he deserved.

He rose from his seat, deciding to go out to gorilla position to meet the redhead. He'd received her text message earlier and sent one back, but he hadn't gotten a response. He supposed she had been indisposed, but he could surely catch her now.

As he stopped just by the curtain, the tall blond man could hear the voices of Chris Jericho and Trish Stratus as they approached. They sounded happy, and he smiled as they appeared. But where was Lita? He would have sworn she'd appear with them.

"Hey, Edge." Trish waved at him, and Jericho grinned as they passed. And not a moment later, he heard the distinctly annoying sound of Triple H's voice.

"You thought you were real cute pulling that little stunt on me, did you? You're gonna pay for that!"

The burly, bullying man didn't seem to notice anyone else as he threatened the diva. That was when the tall Canadian stepped in - directly in his line of vision.

"I'd rethink that little threat if I were you."

Triple H abruptly looked up, a deep scowl on his face as he saw Edge standing directly in front of him. He sneered, eyeling the smaller man up and down for a beat.

"Why don't you mind your own business, hotshot?" he spat. "Last I checked, this didn't concern you."

Lita yanked her arm out of the Evolution leader's grasp, fury in her eyes. But her expression changed, growing into a pleased smile as Edge spoke next.

"Correction - this woman here," he said evenly as he pointed to the redhead, "is a very good friend of mine. And when she's being mistreated, it concerns me in a _big_ way." He glared at The Game, his lips pursing as he did so.

Triple H said nothing as he merely looked into the blond Canadian's green eyes. The staring contest went on for another moment before the World Heavyweight Champion broke the tension with a laugh - one that, in Lita's mind, was definitely full of discomfort.

"Okay, you wanna play white knight to Red here?" Hunter scoffed. He pointed a finger into the taller man's chest. "All right, you go and _do_ that. But do me a favor - don't go crying to Bischoff after Evolution beats your ass."

Edge looked angry at the finger poking him in the chest, then furious at the other man's words. So, now he was threatening _him_, too? It seemed that Triple H always surrounded himself with a faction for exactly this purpose - when he felt threatened and couldn't defend himself, he would call upon others - lackeys.

With that, the tall blond man swung back and punched The Game right in the jaw. Lita had seen the blow coming and managed to scuttle out of the way. Hunter, on the other hand, was not quite so lucky as he staggered backward, landing on his ass, then on his back, on the floor.

"Come on, Lita." Edge gently put an arm around the slightly shocked diva, ushering her away.

Triple H sat there, his eyes glittering with rage as he watched the two depart.

"You son of a bitch!" they heard him yell. "It's your ass now! That's a _promise_!"

The Canadian ignored the miserable bastard as he led the redhead back to the locker rooms.

"Are you okay?" he implored. "I saw him manhandling you back there."

She nodded, rubbing at her arm.

"I'm okay. But what about _you_?" She glanced up at him with concerned hazel orbs.

"What _about_ me?"

Lita gaped at him, shaking her head.

"He just promised to sic Evolution on you!" she cried. "Aren't you worried about that?"

Edge's jaw set stubbornly as he shook his head.

"Nope," he answered. "If that big gorilla decides he wants to play dirty and get his goons to jump me, well, _let_ him. I'll fight back to the best of my abilities."

"But there are four of them and only _one_ of you, Edge," she pointed out sadly.

The Canadian fixed his green eyes on her with his head cocked.

"I _do_ have friends here that aren't divas, you know."

That statement made Lita smile.

At this point, they'd reached Evolution's locker room. As Edge stood outside in wait, the redhead entered and grabbed her belongings.

"Where are you..." Victoria mouthed, as she was the only one in the room even paying her any attention. Batista and Ric Flair were playing cards in one corner, with the bigger, younger man groaning.

Lita shook her head and made a 'shh' gesture.

The raven-haired woman's gaze traveled to the door. She could just see the blond man outside, waiting patiently for her.

'_Ahh_,' she mouthed, giving her an okay sign with the fingers of her right hand. She smiled and waved as the redhead left.


	10. Chapter 10

**_A/N: Thanks to Girl on Fire and darkxangelx-xo for the last pair of reviews! ;)_**

Everyone in the Evolution locker room abruptly looked up as the door opened and slammed. Victoria nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound. It was of course Triple H, and he looked and sounded furious as he muttered something to himself that she couldn't quite decipher.

"That damned redheaded bitch!" he yelled.

Victoria frowned as Flair stood up to approach the angry leader of the faction.

"What happened, Hunter?" he asked in a calm tone.

Triple H glared at the Nature Boy, eyeing him as though he were a space alien with eight heads.

"'What happened?' How in the hell can you ask me such a _stupid_ question, Ric?!" he bellowed. "Didn't you see it?"

Batista stepped forward, his hands held up in a placating manner.

"Hey, easy there," he said. "Whatever happened, we didn't see it... We were playing cards."

Triple H shot The Animal a murderous look. So, the two of them had found a game of cards more important than The Game? That was preposterous!

Meanwhile, Randy and Victoria, who were standing near one another, exchanged glances. Unlike the other two, they _had_ actually watched the mixed tag match. And while she'd never admit it to Triple H, Victoria had found it quite amusing.

"That bitch played me! _Me_! She must have had some little plan cooked up with Jericho and that bitch Trish Stratus!"

"Whoa," Orton spoke up. He glanced meaningfully toward Victoria again. "Is it necessary to call the women 'bitches?' I mean, we _have_ a woman right here in the room with us."

The raven-haired diva gave the third-generation superstar a grateful smile.

"Did I _ask_ you?" Hunter spat. "I'll call them whatever I damn well please! Now, shut up and listen to what I have to say!"

"Anything you want, man," Ric said. He pulled up a chair for the World Champion to sit down.

Randy narrowed his eyes as he shot Triple H a dirty look, but it went unnoticed by all but Victoria.

"As I was saying," Hunter snapped, not bothering to thank Flair for the chair, "that little bitch turned on me during our match! She made a _fool_ of me out there!"

Orton practically rolled his eyes as he inched over toward the door. He didn't want to listen to the boring tirade and decided he was going to catering. He fully expected Triple H to yell at him as he was leaving, but the man was so self-centered that he didn't even notice as he slipped out the door.

"Hey," Victoria said softly, drawing the young man's attention. He turned to quickly face her, realizing she had followed him out into the hallway.

"Oh... Hey, Victoria."

"Thank you for what you said just now," she said with a smile. "It's good to know that at least _one_ of the Evolution guys is a gentleman. I appreciate it."

Randy eyed her, a slow smile spreading on his handsome face.

"Don't mention it," he said. After a beat, he gestured with a pointing hand down the hall. "I was about to go to catering... Care to join me?"

"I'd like that."

--

Lita paced the small length of the locker room as she spoke in a worried tone.

"What am I going to do, Edge? I'm backed into a corner here!" She was on the verge of panic. "He's furious with me, and it's not like I can just quit the faction, especially so soon after being forced into it." It wasn't that she was worried about Triple H being mad at her for what she'd done in the ring... She could handle that just fine, and counter any verbal lashings he threw her way with a few comebacks of her own. But what if he became physically violent? There was no way she could fight that brute back, and she doubted the other men of Evolution would lift a finger to help her. She supposed Victoria would, but she too was a woman and nowhere near as strong or powerful as Helmsley.

"Hey, calm down," the tall blond man said. He stood up, going to her to put his hands to her shoulders, gently stopping her in mid-pace. "Lita, look at me."

The redhead did just as he requested, the look of unease still clear in her eyes.

"Listen to me," Edge swore. His gaze was steady and serious as he fixed it on her hazel orbs. "You'll be fine. I won't let him do anything to you... I promise. Okay, Lita?"

She shifted her gaze on him as she started to reply. Some uncertainty swept through her in spite of the vast concern she heard in his voice and saw on his face.

"I... guess."

He lifted her chin a bit, forcing the diva to look up into his eyes again.

"It's a _promise_," he stated. "I'll keep you safe."

She sank against his touch, hugging him tightly. He wrapped an arm around her, satisfied that she believed and trusted in him.


	11. Chapter 11

**_A/N: Thanks to Girl on Fire and darkxangelx-xo for the last reviews. :) I am so sorry it's taken me SO long to update this story... I think I was stumped with a bit of writer's block. Well, I do hope you enjoy this new chapter!_**

"Hunter, can I talk to you for a moment?"

The World Heavyweight Champion looked up, his glare training onto the woman standing before him. Great, what the hell did she want? Couldn't she see that he was pissed off as it was and didn't want to be bothered?

"What?" he barked, keeping his already harsh features hard.

"Well," Victoria said tentatively, "I just wanted to ask you about my impending title shot against Molly." She took a seat next to him at the bar set up in the room.

He stared at her, incredulous.

"Oh, _that's_ what you're bothering me for? Your damn title shot? Do you think I _give_ a crap about that right now?!"

The diva flinched and instinctively moved a bit away from the enraged Evolution leader. She certainly hadn't been expecting that sort of reaction. And what exactly had she said or done to deserve it, anyway?

"Hunter..."

"Shut up!" Triple H shouted, spraying her with a bit of spit. He barely noticed as she wiped her cheek with the back of her hand. "What the hell is wrong with you?! Can't you see that I've got something on my mind, something _bothering_ me? You have the nerve to pester me about the damn Women's Championship?"

Randy Orton, who was sitting halfway across the room and obviously witnessed and heard all of this, came over.

"Hunter, chill."

Victoria looked up at the young man. She hadn't been at all aware that he'd approached until he'd put an arm around her. She stared at him, wondering about his actions.

"Butt out of this, Randy."

"No! You need to calm down. All the lady did was ask you a question," he pointed out. "There's no reason to yell or jump down her throat."

The Game glared at the younger man, fully ready to snap his head off with another retort. He shifted his gaze from Orton to a dumbstruck Victoria, then back again.

"Yeah, whatever..." He focused on the diva again, nearly seeing red as he recalled his match and the incident out in the hallway with Lita and Edge. That damn redhead was already proving she was going to be nothing but trouble. And her little blond boy toy wasn't looking any less the thorn in his side. "... But you listen to me, and listen _good_... If you step out of line with me in any way, shape or form, it'll be your ass."

Victoria's brown eyes narrowed as she took in Triple H's threat. She swallowed, hating that a lump had actually formed in her throat. She hoped the fear she was suddenly feeling - which she absolutely _loathed_ - was not at all visible to the man. She felt Randy Orton tense somewhat at her side, and she had a feeling he was seconds from speaking up on her behalf again before Hunter turned and quickly stalked out of the room.

Once he was gone, the raven-haired diva exhaled the breath she'd been holding. Her heart was pumping like crazy. Slowly, she turned her head to gaze up at Orton, meeting his deep blue eyes.

"I can't believe you did that," she said, eyeing him with wonder. She was suddenly very aware that the man's arm was still around her shoulders, and her gaze trailed to it.

In an instant, Randy removed his arm. For some reason, he felt a little bashful.

"Hey, he was acting like a jerk," he reasoned. "He had no right to yell at you like that. I don't know what crawled up his ass and died," The Legend Killer continued, "but verbally assaulting a woman is just wrong."

Victoria thought she knew precisely why Triple H had blown up at her... She would bet it had everything to do with Lita. She had witnessed the tag match earlier on the TV monitor in the room and seen it all. It was so obvious the redhead had deliberately taken a dive so that her friends Trish Stratus and Chris Jericho could win. She didn't say a word of this to Orton, however, as she continued to stare at him with wonder and something else she couldn't quite identify.

"Randy?"

"Hmm?" the young man asked.

Victoria smiled and reached out to just brush the tips of her fingers against his bare arm.

"Thank you."

The Legend Killer gave her a wink.

"Don't mention it, Vic... Is it okay if I call you that?" he corrected.

The dark-haired diva smiled more brightly and nodded.

"Yeah."


End file.
